Spirits (Ireland) Act, 1854

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Justices may grant warrants for entering premises where wine, spirits, &c. are believed to be sold without a licence.

Penalty on persons found drinking therein.

If persons are found drinking, wine, &c. may be seized.

4. If any superintendent, inspector, or Serjeant of the Dublin metropolitan police, or any sub-inspector, head or other constable of constabulary, or other credible witness, shall make oath in writing before a justice of the peace that the said superintendent, inspector, Serjeant, sub-inspector, head or other constable, or credible witness, has good reason to believe that wine, spirits, beer, ale, cider, or perry are retailed or sold without a licence, or kept for sale without licence, in any room, house, or other place, it shall be lawful for such, justice to grant a warrant authorizing, within the police district of Dublin Metropolis, any superintendent, inspector, or serjeant of police, and in any other part of Ireland any sub-inspector, head or other constable of constabulary, with his assistants respectively, to enter into any such room, house, or other places as aforesaid at all times; and such warrant shall continue in force for one month from the date thereof; and if any person shall be found to be drinking or tippling, or having the appearance of having been recently drinking or tippling, on such unlicensed premises, such person may be summoned before the justices of the peace in petty sessions, or divisional justices of the metropolitan police district of Dublin, as the case may be, or may be lawfully apprehended and brought, so soon as conveniently may be, before a justice of the peace, to be dealt with according to law; and upon conviction of his having been so drinking or tippling on such unlicensed premises shall be liable—

For the first offence, to a fine not exceeding five shillings nor less than two shillings and sixpence, or to be imprisoned, with or without hard labour, for any time not exceeding twenty-four hours nor less than twelve hours from the time of his conviction:

And for the second and every subsequent offence, to a fine not exceeding ten shillings nor less than five shillings, or to be imprisoned as aforesaid for any time not exceeding one week nor less than three days:

And in all cases where such person shall be found drinking or tippling, or having the appearance of having been recently drinking or tippling, on such unlicensed premises, it shall be lawful for any such superintendent, inspector, serjeant, subinspector, head or other constable, and his assistants respectively, to seize any quantity of wine, spirits, beer, ale, cider, or perry found on such premises, together with the vessel containing the same, and all vessels, jugs, or glasses used in the sale or consumption thereof, and on conviction of any such person so found as aforesaid such spirits, wine, beer, ale, cider, or perry, vessels, jugs, and glasses, so seized, shall be forfeited.